


In Orle

by Blackbird Song (Blackbird_Song)



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:11:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackbird_Song/pseuds/Blackbird%20Song
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack comes back from death for the sixth time in three days.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Orle

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted as untitled comment fic in response to [](http://mara-202.livejournal.com/profile)[**mara_202**](http://mara-202.livejournal.com/)'s request in [](http://community.livejournal.com/jantolution/profile)[**jantolution**](http://community.livejournal.com/jantolution/) for 'Ianto lives' fic.
> 
> Written a day after CoE finished airing in the UK, therefore hard to write.
> 
> Thanks to my husband for the beta.

  
  
  
  


 

_In orle, round the escutcheon, leaving the middle of the  
field vacant, or occupied by something else; -- said of  
bearings arranged on the shield in the form of an orle.  
[1913 Webster]_

 

He didn't tell them about the nightmares. He never told anyone about those. Never told anyone that he met the thing that waited for him when he died, the thing that taunted and tortured him.

And then, one day, when he had died six times in the past seventy-two hours, and the world was going to hell, he knew - _knew_ \- that Ianto had died, and was never coming back. Knew as he came back that Ianto was in a body bag beside him. Knew that the world couldn't stand him anymore, nor he it. Knew that--

There were arms. Arms that supported and cradled him. Cherished him. Comforted him as he sobbed himself back to life and clung and blinked and dared to look up.

"Ianto?"

"Always. Who else did you expect?"

Jack swallowed, his body sluggish and unresponsive after so much death. "Not you," he whispered, voice broken.

Ianto held him close, rocking him. "Do you dream when you're in there?" he asked, softly.

_I can't tell you. I mustn't!_

There was a hand on his face, thumbing gently at a tear. "It's alright. Maybe I could help." Ianto's voice. Ianto's glorious voice, infinitely flexible and perfect.

Everything long held inside welled up. "Yes." The faintest breath of it escaped him, and opened him. "Yes, I do." He looked up into Ianto's eyes.

"Not happy dreams, then," said Ianto, stroking Jack's cheek.

"No," said Jack, reaching for Ianto's face, mapping it, committing it to memory.

"If you go about half a centimetre to your left, you'll find my nose."

Jack laughed through his tears. "Now I know you're here."

Ianto bent down to kiss his cheek. "Better than Myfanwy, I hope."

"Better breath, that's for sure!" Jack stretched to find Ianto's lips.

Ianto withdrew and made a face.

"What?"

"Jack, the next time you die of asphyxiation, could you do it in something like carbon monoxide? The hydrogen sulphide tends to linger."

"Oh." Jack breathed out into his hand and immediately inhaled. "Oh, yeah, it does, doesn't it? Well give it a few more seconds, and--mmph!"

Ianto's tongue slid into his mouth, giving, taking, caressing.

Jack tasted the freshness of Ianto instead of the stench of death he'd feared. He reached for it, as he would a life preserver. "I thought you were dead."

"I gathered that," said Ianto, running his fingers through Jack's hair. "I'm sorry."

Jack buried his face in Ianto's neck, breathing him in.

Ianto cleared his throat, which always felt good against the bridge of Jack's nose.

"What now?" asked Jack.

"Could we ... take this someplace else? Like, out of the lab?"

Jack looked around at the animals gazing at them from their cages, and then back at Ianto. "Why? What's wrong?"

"The gorilla's worrying me a bit." Ianto nodded towards where Jack hadn't looked.

"Oh!" Jack looked back at Ianto and eyed him up and down. "Hey, can't blame a guy for his good taste, can you?" He winked at the gorilla and grinned at Ianto's scowl. He got up, pulling Ianto with him. "Back to the Hub, then."

"Yup."

"Ianto?"

"Jack?"

"How did I end up here? 'Cause wasn't I in a chamber full of gas, chasing a Throx?"

Ianto sighed. "The Throx ate the seals and let all the hydrogen sulphide out into the building. The Hazmat team had to seal off the section and get you to safety."

"Which turned out to be the primate lab," said Jack, looking around again. "Where's the Throx?"

Ianto donned a glove and picked up a pair of tongs, dipping into the liquid nitrogen canister to pull out a very annoyed-looking Throx. "Contained, for now," he said, stuffing it back inside.

Jack had to help Ianto wrestle the locking mechanism into place. "Let's get it back before it spawns," he said.

"Spawns?"

"Yeah. Loves liquid nitrogen, and it was about ready to pop the last time it killed me."

"I really hope Owen knows what to do with this one," muttered Ianto, close on Jack's heels.

"Oh, he does," grinned Jack. "But you better let me give it to him."

"Why?"

"Because I'll survive when he shoots me. You might not."

"Oh. Good point." Ianto stopped. "Jack?"

"Mm?"

"We've got a flak jacket in the SUV."

"I told you, Ianto, I'll give it to him!"

"No, I meant...." Ianto looked down.

"What?"

"You. I meant for you."

Jack secured the canister and turned to Ianto. "Why would I need that?"

"Um ... because you've died so much lately?" Ianto shifted.

"And...?"

"And ... I ... hate seeing you die."

Jack smiled, even through the ache inside. "Softy," he murmured.

Ianto nodded ever so slightly and gave a half smile.

Jack pulled him into an embrace. "Thank you for being there."

"Always."

They broke apart and looked at each other for a moment too long.

"Right," said Ianto. "I'm driving."

"No, I am."

"Too many deaths."

"I've got the keys." Jack jingled them at Ianto.

"Well--"

The Throx started thrashing inside the canister.

"Alright, you drive," said Ianto, "but don't die!"

Jack grinned. "Deal! And Ianto?"

Ianto looked at him, eyes expectant – innocent despite their knowing look.

Jack swallowed. "You neither, okay?"

Ianto did smile then. "Deal."

**Current mood:** |   
calm  
---|---


End file.
